The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the second round of the 2023 W2RC following the Dakar Rally. In second round Branch accumulated 11 points to make it a total of 19 this season and jumped to the eighth spot in the championship general rankings. He, however, remains miles behind the championship leader, Toby Price of Australia who is sitting to the summit with 46 points. Branch is, however, the top ranked Indian based, Hero Motosport Rally team rider as teammate Franco Caimi sits 10th with 11 points. The Kalahari Ferrari started the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on high note as he finished third on day one of the race. The biker, however, slipped places below after stage two as he finished seventh on the day before he moved a place higher on stage three with a sixth position finish. However, on stage three Branch was hampered by a crash before the refuel spot and settle just outside the top three finishers on the day. He recovered well and managed a third place finish on stage four before he wrapped up the 2023 W2RC round two with a fifth place to finish fifth overall.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge proved to be one of the fastest and tightly contested World Champions’ rounds and Branch is content with his performance. “What an awesome event with some of the really intense racing. The pace has been incredible this week and I am proud to be racing against the fastest guys in the world. Position five overall, I am happy with that. We made some good steps in the right direction,” he said. Branch and his fellow riders’ next stop is the Sonora Rally to take place on Mexico April 22, 2023. The rider will then proceed to the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argetina in August before the Rallye du Maroc in Morocco October for the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2023 W2RC. Branch had finished 13th in the 2022 World Championship while he was 10th in his championship debut in 2021.
